Abby Hart of Mr. Clit and the Pink Cigarettes Talks About the Band and Art

It was a beautiful *almost* spring day when I drove to Indianapolis to meet up with bassist, Abby Hart of Mr. Clit and the Pink Cigarettes. I met her at PNR Graphics where she works when she’s not on the road with Mr. Clit and we proceeded to a great sushi place to have lunch and chat about her start in music and upcoming adventures.

Abby got her start playing music with her bandmate in Mr. Clit and the Pink Cigarettes, David. David was in a horror punk band called Room 21 and taught her to play bass for that band. “I only knew how to play our songs, I didn’t know how to play the bass in any other way.” Abby was 17 at the time and only able to play house shows since she was under legal bar age. “We became friends with people in house party places in Michigan and Ohio… so I’ve been in the Cincinnati scene since I was 17 or 18.”

Mr. Clit and the Pink Cigarettes played their debut show on Abby’s 21st birthday (Halloween). The band features David on guitar and vocals, Abby on bass and vocals and Ayesha on drums. They’ve been playing for 5 years now. “We started touring right away… Ayesha’s sister lives in California… so we saved up and our destination was Long Beach, CA so we toured out there and toured back.”

Stylistically, Mr. Clit and the Pink Cigarettes look like an awesome mod circus with 60’s outfits and shag carpets on their amps. “We want to look as silly as possible.”

David and Abby’s split vocals can be slightly reminiscent of the Pixies. “For the longest time we never told each other what we were saying so it never made sense.” As a young adult Abby was heavily influenced by the Smashing Pumpkins and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs but in relation to the band she lists The B-52’s and the Cramps as inspirations.

Mr. Clit and the Pink Cigarettes are currently on tour in the midwest but up next they’re headed to China for an 8 day tour! Daikaiju (one of her favorite live bands) from Alabama introduced Mr. Clit to a band called Round Eye from China. Last year they did a month long tour together in the US so this year, they’re bringing over Mr. Clit for a tour. “We’ve never been out of the country before.”

Abby is a lady of many talents. Outside of being in an awesome band she is an amazing artist. “Originally I went to college for acting (at Butler) but then our band started touring a bunch and it was pretty much performing… I wasn’t a musician first, I was a performer but as I get older the musician part is really important to me.” Abby then switched her major to art. Abby has art shows from time to time creates on her down time from the band. She also has a cool solo project called Blood Moon. She’s played a few live shows where she records and sets up an iPad of the music and sings. “It’s stuff I knew wouldn’t fit with Mr. Clit or stuff I didn’t know how to say to other people… I douse myself in baby oil and glitter and do spray paint with it, it’s kind of like performance art.”

If Abby ever performed a cover set she would perform as David Bowie. “It would be really fun to dress like David Bowie and sing pretty… but it would also be fun to be someone really aggressive like the Stooges or the Cramps.” Some of her favorite bands in Indianapolis currently are Staberry, Thee Tsunamis and Dirtbike.

Upcoming, Mr. Clit and the Pink Cigarettes are a part of a Twin Peaks compilation. “Everyone had to write a Twin Peaks themed song.” Be on the look out for that as well as Mr. Clit and the Pink Cigarettes in person as they tour non-stop!